Ok, who knows anything about sore throats?

[sweet angel]

Really, gargling with aspirin but not swallowing it?

I'd be really careful with that. I remember seeing pictures when I was taking my dental assisting course of people who had sucked on aspirin for mouth pain and the holes it ate in their cheeks. Not saying it doesn't work, but please be careful.

 

[Disney44]

Question about changing your toothbrush after strep. Would you change it after the antibiotic is complete or after you're no longer contagious (24 on antibiotic)? DH and I were diagnosed over the weekend and started antibiotic on sunday.

OP, if it's switching sides it could be your tonsils. I would go back to the doctor to see if it's a recurrance of strep though. By son has had it back to back even with taking the full dose of antibiotic.

They say to change it several days into the antibiotics...so when you're not contagious, but not waiting till you take the full dose. I also have heard that you can put the toothbrushes in the dishwasher.

 

[mandy200587]

Try gargling with salt water, I've read somewhere that helps.

 

[suzannen]

As someone who suffered for years from tonsillitis, strep throat and allergies, this sounds like it could definitely be a sore throat from post-nasal drip caused by allergies. It definitely migrates from side to side, it can be extremely painful, and it will keep coming back until you figure out what's aggrevating your allergies. My allergist always says some of the ways to figure out whether it's allergies or something like strep is 1) do you have a fever - more likely strep throat or tonsilitis. If it's lower than normal, it's most likely allergies and 2) Any mucus produced, is it clear or is it green? If it's green, it's more likely a bacterial infection needing antiobiotics. Good luck figuring it out - they all hurt!

 

[honeymom]

Usually if your tonsils are gone, you won't get strep. However, if you have any doubts get it checked. My son was once on antibiotics for strep - he didn't respond to the particular antibiotic and it turned into pneumonia.

It does sound like post-nasal drip (either viral, from a sinus infection, or allergies). Try an antihistamine. Plus, I have a polyp that flares up when I get sick and doesn't stop dripping back without the help of a nasal steroid.

 

[rockin_rep]

As someone who suffered for years from tonsillitis, strep throat and allergies, this sounds like it could definitely be a sore throat from post-nasal drip caused by allergies. It definitely migrates from side to side, it can be extremely painful, and it will keep coming back until you figure out what's aggrevating your allergies. My allergist always says some of the ways to figure out whether it's allergies or something like strep is 1) do you have a fever - more likely strep throat or tonsilitis. If it's lower than normal, it's most likely allergies and 2) Any mucus produced, is it clear or is it green? If it's green, it's more likely a bacterial infection needing antiobiotics. Good luck figuring it out - they all hurt!

Suzan - did you have your tonsils out, or just get treated w/ meds?

I also thought DD's was from an allergy, b/c she's never had a fever and sometimes her throat doesn't even *hurt* that much, but feels 'full' and its difficult to swallow. She doesn't even have much mucus either, its mostly in her throat.

I'm always afraid that doctors are surgery-happy, ENTs too, and i want to explore other options first, altho i don't want her to suffer needlessly, either

 

[my4kids]

op - you have to go back to doctor for strep test....you probably had a stain that is a little resistent to whatever antibiotic you took...you need a different antibiotic or a longer course of it. Even if it is viral, you need to make sure, strep in NOT something to play with, left untreated it can attack organs and cause kidney damage, attack the pancreas and make you diabetic....go to the doctor.

 

[suzannen]

Suzan - did you have your tonsils out, or just get treated w/ meds? (

After having 12 boughts of tonsilitis in 3 years, I finally had my tonsils out when I was 30. I almost never get sick now except for occasional sinus infections from allergies.

To the OP, if you're not feeling better yet, I do think I would let the doctor test to make sure it's not a resistant strep. As my4kids noted, it's really not something to play around with, it can cause a lot of damage. Do keep us posted.

 

[Cass]

Hi everyone, I'm the OP

Just got back from the doctor's (11:30) - I got there at 9:30am and the place was full of sickies coughing and blowing their noses, I had to sit there with them and feel like burning my clothes now and moving to Fiji.

Anyway, the doc remembers me from three weeks ago with my strep visit - says I do not have strep now, just something going around, not bacterial, not viral - nothing they can give me. Said to gargle with salt water and get lots of rest. Basically a huge waste of time this morning going and now I'm worried about all the germs I picked up there - yuck.

 

[Christine]

Hi everyone, I'm the OP

Just got back from the doctor's (11:30) - I got there at 9:30am and the place was full of sickies coughing and blowing their noses, I had to sit there with them and feel like burning my clothes now and moving to Fiji.

Anyway, the doc remembers me from three weeks ago with my strep visit - says I do not have strep now, just something going around, not bacterial, not viral - nothing they can give me. Said to gargle with salt water and get lots of rest. Basically a huge waste of time this morning going and now I'm worried about all the germs I picked up there - yuck.

Better to be safe than sorry. I'm sure you will be fine as long as you didn't touch everything and stick your hands all over face/nose/mouth.

 

[Cass]

I hope so, I'm going to WDW in a mere 6 days, I just want to feel well again, it's been over three weeks since I felt anything close to human.

I heard that germs in coughs can travel many feet in the air... yuck.